Color Festival Hawaiʻi offers free admission for 2026 event

Imua Family Services will host the Color Festival Hawaiʻi with free admission for all attendees on April 5 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, featuring live music and a helicopter egg drop.

The event, which begins at noon, serves as a “friend-raiser” to support the nonprofit’s mission of aiding children with special needs and developmental delays. Organizers said making the event free this year increases accessibility for local families during the Easter Sunday celebration.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters will conduct an aerial egg drop, and the Easter Bunny is scheduled to appear before the festival’s signature mass color throw at 5:30 p.m.

The musical lineup features headliners the Daddies, along with Shea Derrick & Full Flavor Band, Justin Morris & Company, Pat Simmons Jr., and DJ Boomshot.

“The rainbow represents hope, new beginnings, and the idea that everyone belongs,” Imua Family Services Chief Executive Officer Dean Wong said. “The Color Festival Hawaiʻi is a joyful reminder that no one is left out and that our community is strongest when we come together.”

The festival is inspired by the Indian tradition of Holi, using the throwing of colors to symbolize unity and the removal of social barriers. For a family attending the event, the shift to free admission removes the typical gate fee, though eco-friendly color powder and food from local trucks will be available for purchase.

Imua Family Services has operated in the islands since the polio pandemic, providing therapy and support services to Maui County families for nearly 80 years.

Sponsors for the 2026 festival include Pacific Media Group, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Maui Health, Minit Medical Urgent Care, Pasha Hawaii, ProService Hawaii and the Stable Road Foundation.